The BlackHawk Saga Beginning of a Hunter Dynasty
by mblackhawk
Summary: PSOnline: One of the very first fanfics I ever wrote and posted on PSO World. 2 Hunters meet at a social gathering, and what happens will change the face of the hunter's guild for years to come. First story in "The BlackHawk Saga". Rated M just for good measure.
1. Chapter 1

The Beginning of a Hunter Dynasty

Part 1  
First Impressions.

The annual gala of the Pioneer 2 Hunter's Guild was as boring an ocasion as it ever was. Michael, the youngest son of the BlackHawk family and already a veteran hunter, was standing at a rail on the observation deck of the large immigrant ship, watching the stars go by. He hated these things with a firey passion. He never liked having to get dressed up in formal attire, much less hang around in this stuffy atmosphere while people made boring speeches and then have to listen to some orchestra play bad elevator music while the older guild members danced waltz after waltz. Yes, Michael Steven BlackHawk was bored as anyone could ever be.

Sipping on a glass of champagne, on the opposite side of the observation deck/reception hall, a relatively new hunter, Rhiannon Lara Mano was almost equally as bored. She had no idea why she had to come to this, since she had only been a hunter for less than a week. While she was training for the arrival at Ragol, these people were taking on quests on the worlds that Pioneer 2 had found on its 7 year journey from their homeworld to Ragol. She was still relatively new to the guild, and knew no one in the organization, so she just stood there at the back wall, and let herself stay bored at the whole matter.

"Just why in the hell does the guild REQUIRE that everyone attend this thing?" Michael thinks to himself as he turns around, still looking halfway out of it. The music in the reception hall about to put him to sleep, he looks around, where the many veteran hunters of the guild are still waltzing away the floor. He then spots a red-haired newman woman standing at the back wall, looking as bored as he was.

"I never knew a party could be so boring," Lara thought out loud, still nursing the same glass he had been for an hour and a half. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear I was about to fall asleep." She tried her best to keep from yawning, the neverending waltzes making her tired. "Do I ever wish I had my partisan," she thought again, "Then, at least I'd feel like a hunter, instead of like a display item." She then looked around the hall, where the veterans were still engaged in their party. Boredly, she looks over at the edge of the observation deck, where she spotted a blonde -haired human man, who looked like he was about to lose his mind from sheer boredom.

The two hunters, Michael Steven BlackHawk and Rhiannon Lara Mano started across the floor of the reception hall/oberservation deck, where they met in the center. He took her hand in his, and they began to move across the dance floor, joining in the waltz. It was as if all the boredom and burden that they were carrying that night just disappeared into thin air, as the two danced, they felt closer and closer to each other. She looked up into his face, not knowing what to expect, but what she saw surprised her. He actually looked like he was enjoying himself. "I wonder what this is I'm feeling," Lara thinks to herself, "Sure, I'm not as bored as I was before, but this guy has my heart racing. Could I be falling in love with him? Sure, Lara. You see a guy across a room, and instantly, you're falling head over heels for him. But, if that is what this feeling is, I like it."

Michael looked down at Lara, smiling, and he saw something in this newman girl that he hadn't seen in any of the others at this party. He saw someone he wanted to know more about. Someone he wanted to see more of. "By the Great Light," he thought to himself, "I think I may be falling for her. Oh what the hell..live in the moment, I guess."

The dance ended and Michael and Lara strode off the floor and to the rail, where they both leaned agaisnt it, looking right into each other's eyes. Lara was too shocked to say a word. Michael wanted to know her, so he was the first to speak.  
"You're a pretty good dancer," he said, "Where'd you learn to waltz like that?"  
"I don't," Lara replied, "I was just letting myself go with the music and the moment."  
"Looks like we're two of a kind then, Miss?" He asked.  
"Lara," She answered," Lara Mano. And you are?"  
"Michael," he told her, "Michael S. BlackHawk. I've not seen you around the guild. Are you new to the Hunter's guild?"  
"Just joined earlier this week. I guess it was because I want to know what it is we're getting into on Ragol when we get there."  
Michael nodded. "I understand that. I joined a couple of years ago, just for a way to make some easy cash, what with the lack of jobs around here anyway. Besides, I was trained as a swordsman since I was a kid. Master Zoke taught me."  
Lara was shocked. She had heard of the Great Sword, Zoke, but had never heard that he had taken on a student. She nodded, and turned to watch the stars go by. He stepped behind her and rested his hand on hers. The two stared out into space for another hour, just making general small talk, until the reception ended. The two parted ways with a smile and a promise to meet again the next day, in the same place.

Michael's place in the residential district was small, compared to some of the others on his block, but he made do. As he walked in, he was met by the android, Maya, who just happened to be with his family since before he was born. Even though she has become independant, due to upgrades in her internal systems and software, she still stayed with the BlackHawks, because she really knew no other people on Pioneer 2.  
"You look like you had a good time," Maya said to her employer as he walked in the door and ditched his coat, "I thought you said this was going to be another boring meeting."  
"It started out that way, Maya," Mike answered, "but it got more interesting about halfway through it. I met this girl who just took my breath away. She's a newman, but that really doesn't matter, does it?"  
"Not to the heart, I'd guess," Maya replied, "I wouldn't know, being an android, after all."  
"Come on, Maya," Michael told her, "After all the upgrades in your AI matrix, self awareness programs and internal operating systems, you still can't say your emotion circuit isn't working."  
"Sorry, Mike, but I've really just got no reference to judge by," Maya retorted, "After all, the only emotion I have sensed was being repulsed by the maintenance droid that comes by every week to check the residence's systems. His pick up lines are as cheesy as they come."  
"I've heard him asking you out,"BlackHawk thinks out loud, "Well, imagine the opposite of what you feel about the maintenance droid, and you'll have whatt I feel for this girl. Just the mention of her name sends shivers down my spine. Lara Mano. I'm meeting her tomorrow."  
"Then I guess you'll be turning in now?"  
"Yes, Maya. Go ahead and hook up to the recharging station. I'll see you in the morning."

Lara's place was not as grand as Michael's. A small apartment in the eastern residential district was all that anyone would offer to a newman woman living alone. The place had very little room for a bedroom, bath, and a kitchen, much less anything else. She wondered just how long that the population would keep discrinating against newmans in their practices of selling housing and other necessities. She quickly changed out of her formal into a long T-shirt and put the long gown away in her very small closet space. She then plopped down onto the bed and closed her eyes to sleep. In her dream, she kept seeing the blond haired man she had met earlier. "Michael Steven BlackHawk," she thinks to herself, "Just why is it I can't get you out of my mind?" She dozed off with the image of Michael running through her mind.

Whoever said that love at first sight doesn't exist, had never met Michael BlackHawk and Lara Mano. That Guild Gala had turned out to be a turning point in their lives. Where this road in life will take then, no one knows, but them.


	2. Chapter 2

The Beginning of a Hunter Dynasty

Part 2  
The first date.

Lara stood in the same place where she had parted ways with Michael Steven BlackHawk just the night before. She still couldn't get him out of her mind, as she looked at the stars going by. She had gone to the guild earlier, to see if there was an available quest, but there was little available that would make her any meseta. She thought to herself that maybe they were saving jobs for other hunter, but dismissed the thought. She had little time to even think, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to find Michael standing there.  
The two looked at each other for a couple of minutes, before he offered her his arm. She took the offer and they walked down from the observation deck, to a turbolift, which dropped them off on a lower deck, which looked like a park.  
"Why here?" She asked, "What's in the park?"  
"Just a place I want you to see," he told her, "I come here often, just to clear my thoughts and to let my life come back into focus." Michael led her to an artificial pond with an actual waterfall filling into it. He held her close to him as they watched the waterfall. "Never thought that the powers that be could make something like this, did you?"  
"It's beautiful, Mike," she answered, "I can see why you come here so often. It's quiet and givs you a place you can go to think."  
Michael smiled. "Maybe," he said, "But since last night, all I can think of is you. You've completely stolen my heart, Lara."  
"And you mine, Mike," Lara replied, "It's amazing how life throws two people together like this."  
"Amazing is hardly a word I'd use," BlackHawk thinks out loud. The two stood there for a few minutes, until Lara turned around, after hearing a slight beeping noise.  
"What was that?" she asked  
"I think you mag is hungry," BlackHawk tells her, "In order for your mag to evolve, you have to feed it. It likes recovery items. Here." He gives the mag a couple of trimates.  
"I see. Have you been to the guild yet?"  
"Not yet. I wasn't going to go today. I had taken on a quest yesterday worth a decent amount of mestea. So, I'm taking the day off."  
"You didn't miss much," Lara tells him, "There wasn't a job to be had. I guess it's going to be slow until we get to Ragol." She looked once more at the waterfall over her shoulder. "Do you honestly think Ragol will be the paradise Pioneer 1 said it would be?"  
Michael shrugged. "I don't know. We probably won't until we get there. Principal Tyrell put me on a special retainer to investigate anything that goes wrong, once we arrive there, so I'm hoping it stays quiet."  
"Maybe, if you get a case, we can go together," Lara suggests, "I'd hate to think that you're facing that kind of unknown danger alone."  
"I'd like that very much," he tells her, "but first, let's just enjoy the time we've got together right now."  
Lara buries her head in Michael's chest as they stand in the park for another hour. He then walks her back to her apartment, where he is shocked to see how she lives. "I know that housing isn't that great for Newmen," he says with a bewidlered look on his face, "but this is too small for anyone. I doubt you could put a recharging station for a single android in this whole place."  
"This was all anyone would sell to a newman woman living alone," she explains, "I've made do since we left home. But..."  
"Well," Michael tells Lara, "Why don't you move into my place? I've got more than enough room."  
"I'd love that," she answers, "It shouldn't take me too long to pack. Most everything I have can be packed up into a single suitcase." She quickly packs up her clothes and other belongings into her case, and meets Mike at the door. They leave the apartment, hand in hand, on their way to Michael's home in the eastern residential district.

Upon arrival, Lara was surprised just to see the place. It was at least 3 times as big as her old apartment. Not only that, but an android met them at the door.  
"Who's this, Mike?" The android asked.  
"Maya, " Michael began, "This is Lara. She'll be staying here in the other bedroom."  
"Glad to meet you, Lara," Maya says, "So you're the one that completely stole Mike's heart."  
"Well, the theft was mutual, Maya," Lara explains, "Since Michael's got mine, too. Maya, almost all androids are self reliant now. Why do you stay here?"  
"Well, I've been with Mike's family since before he was born, "Maya explains, "Mike has been like a best friend to me, so I'm staying here with him. I've also gone through the upgrades, but I guess I just don't want to leave the only friend I have."  
Lara smiles. "I understand," she replies, "Which room is mine?"  
Michael leads her from the front room to her room, in the back. He opens the door for her and she goes in. He follows, only to have her hug him tightly. "Thank you," she cried in his chest, "You have no idea how cramped that old place was. It was all I could get alone."  
"I can guess," BlackHawk answered, "and you're welcome. I want you to make yourself at home."  
"Home is where the heart is," she told him.

A beep comes from the vidphone, and Maya answers it. "BlackHawk residence, this is Maya," She says.  
"Maya, this is Principal Tyrell," the voice on the other line answers, "Advise Mr. BlackHawk that I need him on the bridge tomorrow at noon. We have a situation for him to take care of."  
"I will, sir. Thank you."

Later that night, Michael and Lara had gone out on the town to a club, and came back late. Instead of retiring to their respective rooms, they both went into Mike's room. What went on next is another story.

What may seem like just a couple of days to some, feels like an eternity to these two people. Though they just met the other night, they know thier feelings for each other, and they won't let anyone stand between them. This is a couple that was meant to be. A pairing made in the stars.


	3. Chapter 3

The Beginning of a Hunter Dynasty

Part 3:

The alarm clock starts to buzz as Michael BlackHawk starts to awaken. He looks over at Lara, still sleeping peacefully in his arms and starts to think about the last two days. He then remembered the message Maya gave him yesterday. He leans over and gives Lara a kiss on the cheek. "Lara, Honey," he says, "It's time we got up."  
"this early?" she asks, still sleepy.  
"It's 10am," he tells her, "And Principal Tyrell needs to see us at noon. Something about a situation we need to take care of."

That said, the two rise and ready themselves for their meeting with Tyrell. Maya activates from her night on the recharging station to join the two hunters. It's around 11:30 am when the three arrive at Tyrell's office.  
"Hi, Mike," Irene, the Principal's secretary, says, "Bringing Maya with you on this one? And who's the other partner?"  
"This is Lara Mano," Mike tells her, "She'll be joining me on this mission. Is the Principal where we can talk to him?"  
"He's waiting for you," the secretary answers, "Just go on in." The trio enters Tyrell's office, to see him standing behind his desk, looking out his window, with his back turned to the hunters. "We have an urgent situation, Mike," he starts, "It seems that something has stowed away in the supply ship, Parma. We don't know what it is, but we're losing supplies at an alarming rate, as well as losing crew members on the Parma. I want you and Maya to find out what it is, and eliminate it." He then looks around to see not only Mike and Maya, but Lara with them. "It's a good thing you brought an extra partner," he continues, "I have a feeling you'll need all the help you can get."  
"You can count on us, Principal," Mike answers as the three turn toward the door, "We'll find out what's going on."

The three find a transporter that will take them to the supply ship, Parma. They had taken the time to get their best equipment out prior to leaving the ship. Mike had gotten his kaladbolg saber, while Lara had equipped herself with a Gae Bolg partisan. Both carried a Varista handgun. Maya, being a ranger, had decided on a Meteor Crush Shotgun and Visk Rifle. The Parma's hallways were barren, and eerily quiet. The young hunters peered around the hallways before proceeding to the cargo holds. Lara had been on few quests, since she was still new, but her newman senses were already a big help to the party. Everything about this quest had smelled like trouble to her. Maya started to open the door to the cargo holds, when Lara stopped her.  
"Hold up, Maya," she tells the android, "Something's not right. Can you scan inside the room without the door being open?"  
"Of course," the RAcaseal answers, "hmm..I'm seeing several organic creatures in there. They're humanoid in shape, but they don't appear to be human, or Newman. I can't figure out just what they are from here."  
"Then we'll go in and find out," Mike advises, "We're here to do the job we were commissioned for. these things could just be what is killing the crew and stealing Parma's supplies. Get ready, we strike on 3." The other two nod as Mike begins the count. "One," he begins, and pauses, "Two. THREE!"  
Maya opens the door and the three hunters rush through to be met by sa good number of odd looking humanoid creatures. Between Mike's sword and Lara's partisan, a good number of the enemies fall, but when one is split, the two halves turn into separate entities. Maya tries to kill a few with her shotgun, but the wounds from the bullets just regenerate in record time.  
"This is no good," Lara thinks out loud, "If only we'd brought a force. Well, I may as well try my Rafoie." She casts the high level fire technique, which does manage to kill a number of the monsters, leaving them unable to regenerate. "That's it," Lara shouts, "Mike, try a fire tech." The hunter does just that, blasting the monstrous creatures with rafoie. Maya just covers the casting hunters with her shotgun, giving them time to get their techs in. When the three had taken out all of the creatures, Maya took out a small vile and collected tissue samples from one of the aliens.  
"Good idea, Maya," Mike tells his friend, "We'll let the lab examine these samples and give us some sort of counter measure to it. Lara, your idea of using rafoie saved our lives. Thanks." The HUmar gives Lara a smile and takes her hand in his as the group takes a telepipe back to Pioneer 2, to report back to Tyrell of their findings.

It was a good 3 hours later when the trio got back to their residence. Mike and Lara both retired early, exhausted from the long fight. Maya just leaves the two alone and puts the hunters' weapons away, before settling in to recharge her own internal batteries.

Mike and Lara had awoke the next morning, after nearly dying on the supply ship, Parma, to find a message from the Principal on their vid-record. Lara hit "play" to see what the message had to say.

"So far, so good," the principal's image told them, "We now have a visual record of whatever these things are, and a means of battling them. I've given the tissue samples that Maya collected to Prof. Marcus Greene to study. He should have some information for you, and some sort of a means of defeating them once and for all by this afternoon. Till then, good work so far. Tyrell out."

"Well, that's a good sign," Mike thinks out loud, "At least he's happy with the results thus far."

"But I doubt we'll be as lucky next time," Lara reminds him, "We almost didn't make it off that ship the first time. I'd hate to think of going back unprepared. Maybe the Professor will have some way for us to salvage the ship."

"Maybe it can't be salvaged," the HUmar replies, "Those things have completely overrun the Parma. It may be a problem retaking it. The government may just decide to cut their losses. Still, we'll still have to investigate further. After visiting the professor, we'll head for the bridge. After that, we'll see what Tyrell and his bunch decide."

After a quick visit to the medical center, Mike and Lara decided to visit Prof. Marcus Greene's office in the well known "lab" of Pioneer 2. The scientist was very well surprised to see his visitors.

"Lara?" he asks, "I had wondered what happened to you after you left. So, you became a hunter?"

"Yes, Father," Lara answered, "I'm also involved with this hunter. We met at the big guild party."

"At least you're happy," he answered, "But on to business. I guess you're going to ask about those tissue samples from the Parma, right?"

"That was the general idea," Mike told him, "We need to know if there's a way to fight these monsters to make our way to the bridge."

"Well," Greene started his explanation, "It appears that these things exhibit a rarely quick regenerative ability. Much quicker than any human or newman. The strange thing is, the presence of human and newman DNA in their genetic structure. However, as you all saw after Lara cast that first rafoie, burning seems to slow that regenerative ability to a halt. Therefore, if you use a weapon with a fire attribute, you should be able to fight your way to the bridge of the Parma. I just happen to have created these for you to use." He then hands the two hunters a handgun each, along with a gladius for Mike, and a Gungnir for Lara. "These weapons," he continues to explain, "Were created by myself, in accordance to Prof. Mome's notes on adding elements to photon weapons. Each one has had the highest level of elemental fire power added. That should give you enough power to get to the Parma's bridge to continue your investigation."

"Thanks, Professor," Mike tells the scientist, "These will surely come in handy."

"One other thing," Greene says, stopping them, "I made this for your ranger friend, Maya." He hands the hunters a strange gun. "I call this a flame visit. It's a special weapon designed to shoot blasts of fire. However, it requires a great deal of accuracy to use, so only Rangers are able to."

"We appreciate this, Father," Lara answers, hugging Greene, "Now, we've got a job to do."

"As do I, Lara. Best of luck."

On the way to the transporter, the pair continues to converse. "I never knew that Greene was your father," Mike says, "he sure doesn't look like the father type."

"Believe me," Lara answers, "he wasn't. Most of the time, he was so heavily involved in his research that he hardly had time for me. Especially after my mother left him. So, I just spent my time training my body and mind to become a hunter. That's how I learned to use partisans like I do."

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"My sister, Riala, was on Pioneer 1. I heard rumors of another sister, but have never seen her. I often wonder what she's like."

"I know how you feel," Mike thinks out loud, "I often wonder what my brother is like. I hardly knew him. He was a hunter on Pioneer 1. He and my parents left on that ship, too. I was told that Dad was one of the best swordsmen to hold a saber, but he gave it up after he met my mother. They left his best sword with Maya, saying it shouldn't be used except in an extreme emergency."

"Then let's hope it never has to be used," Lara tells him, "Besides, we're almost there. Maya will meet us at the transporter. This should be the end of our mission, soon."

Like Lara thought, the RAcaseal, Maya, met the pair of hunters at the transporter. Mike handed her the Flame Visit and the trio set their destination for the Parma. Within mere moments, they were once again inside the halls of the supply ship. Unlike last time, though, the monsters had completely overrun the ship, making it a battle to get through to their objective. Mike's gladius and Lara's gungnir, combined with the firepower of the flame visit made for an easier trip through the grunts, until the trio finally found the lift to the bridge.

The lift ride took forever, as Lara began to suspect that the bridge may hold even more danger than the holds or hallways. What she saw once the lift stopped, was an immense monster that looked like some sort of gelatinous blob in humanoid form. It's long, tentacle-like arms shot out toward the hunters, but they managed to lunge out of the way.

"This thing is huge," Maya points out, "There's no way these weapons will be enough."

"Don't be so skeptical," Lara tells her ranger friend, "We still have our wits, and these weapons are merely extentions of our own skills. We'll deal."

The monster grabbed Lara with one of it's arms, and started to squeeze the life out of her, until Mike's gladius sliced through it, freeing the HUnewearl from danger, or so they thought. Another arm regenerated, and swung wildly while the two hunters were still airborne, falling. The swinging tentacle knocked the two into a wall, where Lara landed under Mike. The force of the impact, along with the HUmar's weight knocked her unconscious. This enraged Mike, who lashed out again, going airborne and bounding off the ceiling. He rushed the monster's head and sliced into it with untold fury. The creature wailed in agony as Maya followed up with a few blasts from the flame visit to the head. This gave them the chance they needed to drop a telepipe. Maya was the first to escape while Mike picked up Lara from the floor, and dove through the teleportation device, back to the medical center.

"She'll be fine," the nurse explains as she examines Lara, "But she'll need to rest. She's only got a couple of cracked ribs, and a few bruises. However, I think the extent of her injuries may be more severe. If you're going to go back to the Parma, I don't want her going with you."

"I understand," Mike answers, "She won't go back to the Parma with me."

Lara slept on the way back to the house. The sedative the nurse gave her had her completely knocked out. This gave Mike a chance to think. Upon arrival back at home, he took her to her bed, and then went into the attic, where he found an old chest. He opened the chest to find a sword, still in it's scabbard. He pulled the weapon from its sheath, and examined the exquisite light blade, marked with several runes down the side. "If this isn't an extreme emergency, I don't know what is," he thinks to himself.

He then puts the sword on his belt and descends the ladder, to find Maya.

"Stay with Lara," he tells her, "She'll need your care. I've still got business to attend to."

"Going back to the Parma?" the android asks, "Mike, it's suicide to go alone."

"I know," Mike answers, "I've got one more trump card to play."


	4. Chapter 4

Final Chapter

The Force Academy aboard Pioneer 2 was making preparations to graduate its latest class when Mike BlackHawk walked into the structure.

"Can I help you?" the headmaster asked, "You can probably see that we're pretty busy at this point in time."

"I need to speak with Amelia, now," the Hunter answered, "It's an urgent matter, and I know she's in the graduating class."

"Of course. Just this way." The headmaster of the force academy leads Mike to a room where many up and coming Forces continue to train their minds in study of the different techniques. One of them, a dark haired FOmarl with green eyes wearing a white forces suit, looks up to see Mike and runs over.

"What's this I hear about you and the Parma?" Amelia Renee BlackHawk asks her elder brother, "Some sort of monsters taking it over and Tyrell decides to send you and Maya?"

"Word travels fast around here, doesn't it?" Mike answers, "As a matter of fact, yes. Maya and I've fought in there twice, along with my new girlfriend, Lara. She's injured and Maya's watching over her. I'm going back with Dad's sword, hoping it can help me kill that thing on the bridge. My guess is, that thing is the beast controlling the other monsters on the Parma. Kill it, and it's possible to salvage the ship."

"Well, I'm not letting you go alone," Amelia tells her brother, "I'm not losing you like we lost Mom, Dad, and Darias to Pioneer 1."

"Wait a minute, Amelia," Mike tells her, "Even though you're about to finish your studies at the academy, you're still only 14. I don't think it's wise for you to go with me to the Parma."

"You can't stop me, Mike. I've made up my mind and I'm going. Besides, if your weapons can't stop that thing, then maybe a good high level grants or megid will. Now, let's go."

Mike and Amelia leave the academy, headed for the transporter. Elsewhere, Lara lay in bed, only half asleep, having almost woke up just a few minutes ago. She tries to stand up, but the pain in her chest is nearly unbearable, so she lies back down. From her half open window, she hears a voice speaking to her.

"You're about as bad as Riala," the voice says, "Good thing I decided to follow you instead of her."

"Who's there?" Lara asks, "And what do you know of Riala?"

"Only that she left on Pioneer 1, and got involved with a hunter," the voice responds, "Other than that, I really don't know. That ship landed on Ragol years ago, and I lost contact. Now, if you don't want to lose your man on that ship, you'd better listen to me. Tyrell and his gang have just decided to cut their losses on the Parma. The decision was made to shoot the Parma into a nearby star. It'll explode from the extreme heat and that'll be the end of this problem. Also, Mike and his sister are on their way to the transporter. I saw them while coming here. If he goes into battle on the Parma and the government shoots that thing into a star, he'll be nothing but a celestial cinder. Just thought you'd want to know. Bye now."

"Wait, who are you?" Lara asks again.

"Just someone who's got a vested interest in seeing you and Mike stay alive. That's all."

With that information, Lara stands up again. "I'll have to bear the pain," she thinks out loud, "If I'm to stop Mike from going to the Parma." She then calls out, "Maya, get your flame visit. We're going after Mike."

On board the Parma, Mike slices and dices the way to the bridge lift again, making sure to clear a path for Amelia. His father's sword, Elysion, did just as he had hoped. The light blade not only sliced right through the monsters, but disentigrated them on contact. It was a good sign. Both he and his FOmarl sister entered the lift and began their journey up to the bridge.

Lara looked around, spotting the cleared path from their entry point to the lift. Maya supported the newman hunter as they hobbled down the hallways. When they reached the lift, they noticed that it had already finished its ascent to the bridge. The HUnewearl pushes the button to call the lift back to their level.

"Damn," Lara thinks, "He's already up there. We've got to be quick about this, or we're all finished."

"At least the light-speed engines aren't engaged yet," Maya tells her, "Once those engage, it'll be hard to get off this ship. Here's the lift. Let's go." The RAcaseal supports Lara and the two enter the lift, and begin their own ascent.

Mike's Elysion sliced through all six of the tentacle-like arms of the gelatinous creaturs. This time, though, the arms did not regenerate, since they were all disintigrated. Amelia kept up the healing, and support spells while her brother did his work. She turned her back to the battle when the lift opened, revealing Maya and Lara.

"We've got to leave here," Lara calls out, "Tyrell's going to shoot this ship into a star any minute."

The presence of a new target brought out response from the monster, who was growing tired of facing the ever quick swordsman. A small cone-like mouth grew from the front of the creature and aimed right at the lift. It fired off a bolt of greenish light, that was dodged by Maya, bringing Lara with her. The android made sure that she landed under the HUnewearl, so as not to aggrivate her injury even more. Lara winced as she tried to get back up, but this time, Amelia had her back, casting a high level grants on the creature. This caused the monster to pull back, giving them the time they needed to get together.

The cone-mouth came back out just as the light-speed engines began to whine. Lara dropped a telepipe as Amelia cast one final technique. Her highest level of Megid, which withered the creature to nothing. Amelia, Lara and Maya made their escape quickly, and Mike was last to dive through the device, landing on his face in his living room. He looks up to see Lara, her arms crossed, looking down at him with a rather angry look of her own. He just gives her a sheepish smile.

_**Epilogue. **_

It's been about a month now, since the events on the Parma. Lara's wounds have healed up quite nicely, and she has even forgiven Mike for taking off without her. Amelia's graduation was a success, while Maya still remains at the BlackHawk home, with the only family she knows.

However, this day is different. Friends of the family have gathered in the observation deck. Mike's best friends are with him, making sure he's ready for what's to come.

"Will you relax," Nakago tells Mike, "You're getting married, not facing a firing squad. Here, hand me that tie." He grabs the tie from the prospective groom's hand and starts to tie it.

"For a second there,"the ranger, Blak Wolf, jokes, "I thought you always wore clip-ons, Naka."

"This coming from a man who wears his ranger uniform everywhere," answers Davion Angelus, Mike's best man, "Now that all this is done, let's get out there. It's almost time for this to start."

Elsewhere, Lara stands in front of her mirror, while several women attend to her gown, making final alterations. She looked at a letter that she held in hand.

"_Dear Lara_," it read, "_I'm sorry, but my research has gotten very interesting, and there's little time for me to do much else. I do hate that I can't be at your wedding to give you away, but I do have a job to do, and the government is paying me to finish the research on those tissue samples from the Parma. I wish you all the happiness in the universe, and wish I could be there to see you, but am vastly unable. You father, Prof. Marcus Greene_."

"_That bastard_," she thought, _"The one time I ask him to be here for me, and he can't tear himself away from his research long enough to walk me down the aisle and give me away."_

"Your real family isn't far from you," comes a mysterious voice, "I'm still watching over you, and you look beautiful." Lara looks back to see a red-haired human woman dressed in a ranger's uniform. "Surprised?" she asks, "You shouldn't be. I'm your other sister, that Greene never told you of. Mother left him because of me. She was pregnant when she left. I'm your younger sister, Shiara Mano. Consider me your shadow, Lara. If you need me, I'm here."

"Thank you, Shiara," the newman answers, "I do wish you'd stay for the wedding."

"I would love to," Shiara answers, "But, I do have work to do, too. Intelligence, that is. I'm working with a friend of your grooms. Remember, I'll be here when you need me."

A few minutes pass, and Mike's nerves are running a mile a minute. Davion tries his best to calm the prospective groom. However, when the music starts, and the doors open, Mike's nervousness fades with but a thought. "_Holy shit, I'm marrying a goddess._"

Diego Angelus, Mike's old friend, walks Lara down the aisle and gives her hand to her groom, marking the beginning of their life together, and the Beginning of a Hunter Dynasty.


End file.
